2009 Meetings

2009

Disease & Testing: 16 July at Hicks Vineyard, Corralitos.

3:00 – hedging workshop in the vineyard.

3:30 – Speaker Judit Monis, Ph.D., from STA Labs in Gilroy will talk about disease in the vineyard: viruses, fungus, symptoms, what to look for, testing. STA Laboratories is a diagnostic laboratory for the seed and plant industry, and its Plant Health Services division provides disease detection and eradication services specifically for grapevines. You can view articles written by Dr. Monis on the STA Labs website here.

“Vine to Wine: A History of the Vineyards and Wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains”, Forbes Mill History Museum, Los Gatos. Preview exhibit on The Novitiate winery and vineyards starts June 13; Grand Opening for the full exhibit on July 19. Exhibit runs through the end of the year. The Forbes Mill History Museum, 75 Church St., Los Gatos. Hours: 12-4, Wed-Sun. More information on the exhibit.

“WATER”: 12 May, starting at 2:00pm: “WATER” at Bruzzone Family Vineyards, Rancho Don Bosco, 1690 Glen Canyon Road, Scotts Valley. Two speakers will discuss the practical and theoretical issues concerning what is becoming a precious commodity: water. Whether or not you irrigate, come to hear Michael Loik, from UCSC’s agroecology program, share his research and talk about whether or not we are being affected by climate change, and what it means for our vineyards. UCSC is a terrific resource, and this is the first of what we hope will be more programs working with the university.

2:00: Mark Bettany, UC Davis Extension expert from San Luis Obispo will address irrigation scheduling, deficit irrigation, and use of a pressure bomb.

Pinot Paradise weekend: March 28-29, 2009. Celebrating the Pinot Noir of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Saturday, 28 March: Pinot Pathways – tour local wineries pouring Santa Cruz Mts.Pinot. Sunday, 29 March: Technical Session, 9:00am; VIP Tasting 1:00pm; and Grand Cruz Tasting 2:00-5:00pm, with 35 wineries pouring SC Mts. Pinot paired with gourmet food from local restaurants, at the beautiful Villa Ragusa conference center in historic downtown Campbell. The Technical Session will explore the climate and geography of the new subregions and their distinct flavor profiles. The session will be keynoted by Joe Miller, wine educator with U.C. Santa Cruz, who will compare the terroir of Burgundy with that of the Santa Cruz Mountains; and by Clark Smith, Director of the Best of Appellation evaluation program at AppellationAmerica.com, wine judge, and winemaker. Smith will provide his unique perspective on the new subregions of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which he helped define through AppellationAmerica.com’s tasting evaluations. The session includes a wine tasting with a panel of winemakers and growers representing each of the six subregions, along with a discussion of each subregion, its climate, geography and the unique terroir that is reflected in the wine, as well as the similarities for the region as a whole. The panelists include: Sal Godinez, Wines of Vine Hill; Steve Storrs, Storrs Winery; Jeffrey Patterson, Mount Eden Vineyards; Ed Muns, Muns Vineyard; Ryan Beauregard, Beauregard Vineyards; and Michael Martella, Thomas Fogarty. For more information, contact the SCMWA.

Canopy Management: March 18, 2009, 3:00pm at Vine Hill. Our speaker: Stan Grant, viticulture consultant and principal of Progressive Viticulture, will give a presentation on ripening and canopy management for optimum wine grape quality, both directly through canopy specific practices and indirectly through vineyard design and other vineyard practices. Stan addressed the VASCM several years ago when he gave a presentation on research he was doing for CAWG on hangtime, and we have asked him to return to address the broader issues affecting ripening. Stan established and was the Director of Gallo’s Viticulture Department, he was the Director of Farming for Duarte Nursery, and he currently consults with vineyards throughout the state. As well, we are returning to Vine Hill as a follow-up to our cover crop meeting last year. We can see how Vine Hill’s cover crop has blossomed, and Rachel Ormes will share her program and results.

Pruning Workshop: January 20, 2009 at Alfaro Vineyard in Corralitos
2:00pm: Pruning workshop. Learn best pruning practices from our local vineyard consultants and practice in the vineyard. Bring your pruners (please sterilize). See the video produced by Kevin Monahan of Video4Wine.
3:00pm: Meeting. Update on the spread of the Light Brown Apple Moth in our region from the CDFA, trapping and latest control plans. Presentation on the new subregions of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

To serve the common interests of all Santa Cruz Mountains appellation winegrape producers, and to enhance the quality, profitability and reputation of winegrape production in the appellation through promotion and education.